The William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust gives in a highly strategic, place-based way, with especially large commitments to higher education and educational institutions in North Carolina and a smaller set of related community-serving nonprofits. Its portfolio also shows strong support for arts and culture, children’s learning, health, and family-serving organizations, often tied to specific campuses or communities rather than broad national programs. The trust appears to favor established institutions it knows well, returning for multi-year support to a handful of core grantees rather than spreading funds widely.
Concentrated giving with a small number of very large grants, frequent repeat support to core grantees, and a strong tilt toward institutions rather than many small one-off awards.
Notable grantees: Flagler College Inc., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University Foundation Inc., UNC Health Foundation, Woodberry Forest School
$35.1M
$665.1M
$51.3M
$41.8M
Most grants fall between $125K and $300K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$125K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$300K
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2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLAGLER COLLEGE INC. | AUGUSTINE, FL | $4,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INC. | RALEIGH, NC | $3,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $2,275,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WOODBERRY FOREST SCHOOL | WOODBERRY FOREST, VA | $2,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $1,500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNC HEALTH FOUNDATION | NC | $1,148,464 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NATIONAL CENTER FOR FAMILIES LEARNING INC. | LOUISVILLE, KY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC | CORAL GABLES, FL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NORTH CAROLINA ARTS IN ACTION | DURHAM, NC | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE FOUNDATION FOR CITY COLLEGE (COLIN POWELL SCHOOL) | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS FOUNDATION INC. | WINSTON-SALEM, NC | $438,991 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY | DURHAM, NC | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM | NEW YORK, NY | $375,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOOK HARVEST | DURHAM, NC | $334,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| U.N.C. LAW FOUNDATION INC. | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $333,333 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| KENAN CENTER LOCKPORT | LOCKPORT, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| URBAN ARTS PARTNERSHIP | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HEALTHY START ACADEMY | DURHAM, NC | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | FAYETTEVILLE, NC | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EL FUTURO | DURHAM, NC | $300,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PHILLIP AND PATRICIA FROST MUSEUM OF SCIENCE | MIAMI, FL | $265,808 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GENERATION CITIZEN INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NORTH CAROLINA MUSEUM OF ART FOUNDATION INC. | RALEIGH, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OVERTOWN YOUTH CENTER | MIAMI, FL | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FORTUNE SOCIETY, INC. | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER HIGH POINT, INC. | HIGH POINT, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA, INC. | RALEIGH, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| RETHINK FOOD NYC INC | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DURHAM CHILDREN'S INITIATIVE | DURHAM, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YEAR UP INC | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BRONX DEFENDERS | BRONX, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NEXT UP RVA | RICHMOND, VA | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PARTNERSHIP FOR APPALACHIAN GIRLS' EDUCATION (PAGE) | DURHAM, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNC SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| VIRGINIA INSTITUTE OF AUTISM | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NATIONAL TROPICAL BOTANICAL GARDEN | KALAHEO, HI | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CAPITAL TREES | RICHMOND, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF ERIE COUNTY | BUFFALO, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CRISTO REY RESEARCH TRIANGLE HIGH SCHOOL | DURHAM, NC | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JOBSFIRSTNYC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EL SOL JUPITER'S NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCE CENTER INC | JUPITER, FL | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CRISTO REY MIAMI HIGH SCHOOL | NORTH MIAMI, FL | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JAMES RIVER ASSOCIATION | RICHMOND, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NATIONAL DANCE INSTITUTE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE VALENTINE | RICHMOND, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CONCORDANCE | ST. LOUIS, MO | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| VETERANS ONE-STOP CENTER OF WNY | BUFFALO, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CRISTO REY RICHMOND | RICHMOND, VA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YOUTH MENTORING COLLABORATIVE | DURHAM, NC | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
FLAGLER COLLEGE INC.
$4,000,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
$2,275,000GENERAL
CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
$1,500,000GENERAL
UNC HEALTH FOUNDATION
$1,148,464GENERAL
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC
$1,000,000GENERAL
NORTH CAROLINA ARTS IN ACTION
$500,000GENERAL
THE FOUNDATION FOR CITY COLLEGE (COLIN POWELL SCHOOL)
$500,000GENERAL
EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM
$375,000GENERAL
U.N.C. LAW FOUNDATION INC.
$333,333GENERAL
KENAN CENTER LOCKPORT
$300,000GENERAL
URBAN ARTS PARTNERSHIP
$300,000GENERAL
HEALTHY START ACADEMY
$300,000GENERAL
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER HIGH POINT, INC.
$250,000GENERAL
NEXT UP RVA
$250,000GENERAL
PARTNERSHIP FOR APPALACHIAN GIRLS' EDUCATION (PAGE)
$250,000GENERAL
UNC SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT
$250,000GENERAL
VIRGINIA INSTITUTE OF AUTISM
$200,000GENERAL
THE VALENTINE
$200,000GENERAL
CONCORDANCE
$200,000GENERAL
CRISTO REY RICHMOND
$200,000GENERAL
YOUTH MENTORING COLLABORATIVE
$200,000GENERAL